


keeping your flame, telling your story

by thor_odinson



Series: flames [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-27 13:36:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19013977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thor_odinson/pseuds/thor_odinson
Summary: 'Who keeps your flame, who tells your story?' - Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story; Hamilton the Musical. Fred Weasley does exactly that. He tells George's story and starts to keep his flame.





	keeping your flame, telling your story

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted [here](https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12692705/1/Keeping-Your-Flame-Telling-Your-Story) on my fanfiction.net account.

 I walked on, ignoring the pain in my heart. The pain in my leg was just a nuisance now; it had dulled and wasn't severely restricting my movement anymore so I wasn't really bothered.

I trudged on in a random direction, not having the usual city layout to help make my way. I had no reason to believe that The Burrow was still standing. The whole city had gone through a  _war_  – and for how long I didn't know.

Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron, Ginny? Were they alive? Were Harry and Hermione alive?

'Fred?' I heard a voice call from behind me.

I whipped my head round to see fiery red hair (which looked black in the darkening sky), that could only belong to a Weasley, and the owner of said hair leaning against the remains of a wall. 'Percy?' I squinted at the shape and my eyes lit up. 'Percy!' I yelled in relief. I sprinted as fast as I could over to him, kneeling at his side.

'Oh thank goodness,' he murmured. 'You're alive.'

'So… so are you,' I breathed, holding him up and pulling him into a hug.

'Our family?' he asked hopefully, staring at me intently.

I shrug heavily. 'I don't know, Perce. I've only been conscious these last few hours. But he's gone. George is gone.'

'What?!' Percy sits a little straighter, grips my torn shirt a little tighter.

'Yeah. Don't make me think about it now,' I dismiss. 'There'll be time for that. When Voldemort is dead. When I've killed him.'

'No,' Percy stressed. ' _No_. Do not. You  _don't_ need to kill. We'll figure this out.'

'But _Percy_ ,' I objected. 'He killed my  _twin._ '

'I know. I know. We'll go to The Burrow. We'll figure it out.'

I sighed. 'Okay.'

Percy wouldn't deter me from my goal. Voldemort would die.

'Fred?' I looked at him. 'Promise me.'

I hesitated. I knew I couldn't promise this. ' _Please_ ,' he urged.

I closed my eyes. It seemed he wouldn't let me go without a promise.

But how would I avenge George if I didn't kill Voldemort? How would I keep George's legacy alive if Voldemort lived on?  _How could I not use dark magic if I had to kill?_ I couldn't keep any legacy alive if I had to resort to an Unforgivable Curse.

'Okay,' I said, not ready to let my brother's last words go in vain. 'I promise.'

I couldn't go back on my word now.

Percy smiled. 'Help me up, brother, we've got a home to find.'

I pulled him up and saw the bruises forming on his arms and torso. He wasn't badly injured, not like—

'Your leg!' he gasped.

'It'll be fine,' I said. 'I'll get someone to sort it at The Burrow.'

He looked sceptically at me but decided not to press the matter.

'Which way?' he asked.

'I don't know.' I shrugged. 'I don't even know where we are.'

'Right. I dropped out of the fight when Ollivanders was still standing and Ollivanders was around that way.' He gestured a long way off to the left.

'Okay… so that would mean The Burrow should be… that way?' I nodded in the opposite direction.

'Precisely,' agreed Percy. 'Can you walk on that thing?' He addressed my leg again, arching an eyebrow.

'I told you, it's  _fine._ Come on.'

We hobbled along for what seemed like hours but finally, our home (or what was left of it) came into view.

'It's not looking good,' I muttered to Percy.

'No…' he trailed off. 'Is that Dad? Clearing up?' He pointed to someone with their back to us, performing a spell.

'It is! Dad!' I shouted.

He turned to us, wand still held in midair. He grinned and held his arms out.

I fell into his hug, revelling in the sense of warmth and love that radiated off him. 'I'm glad you're here, Dad,' I murmured.

'I'm glad you're alive, my son. I'm glad you're still breathing.' We stayed wrapped in an embrace before I heard Percy call, 'Bill!'

Bill was here too. I let go of Dad and turned to my oldest brother, who looked dishevelled beyond repair. I threw my arms around his shoulders, almost knocking him backwards. 'I missed you, Billy,' I told him.

'I missed you too. You're okay. You're alive,' he whispered, ruffling my hair.

'Dad, where's Mum? Where are Charlie, Ron, and Ginny?' I heard Percy ask. I let go of Bill, turning to him.

'They're at Hogwarts. With Harry, Hermione, the Order and the rest of the school,' explained Dad. 'Bill and I stayed behind to look after Fleur. She's not in any state to be in a warzone.'

'Is the baby okay?!' I asked hurriedly.

'Baby's fine. I managed to get Fleur back here before any damage could be done,' said Bill. 'Still, not long now. Any day now. Could be today, even.'

'That sure sheds some light on a dark situation,' Percy mused.

I realised I couldn't waste any more time. 'Dad, Bill, Percy… I'm going to Hogwarts. I have something I need to take care of.'

I turned to leave, not waiting for any reply, but Percy held me back, pulling at the front of my shirt. 'You promised,' he reminded me, staring pointedly.

'I promised. But that doesn't stop me wanting to fight for him. I need to avenge him.'

'Okay. But you better come back here without a stain on your conscience. Yes?' he affirmed.

'Yes, okay. I'll be back.' I gave him a firm nod.

I Disapparated with a  _crack_.

When I Apparated into Hogwarts, practically the whole of the school stood outside in a massive ring and I knew that this was it.

The Final Battle.

My only chance to avenge my twin.

I fought my way through the crowd, struggling to stay upright with everyone wanting to catch a glimpse of the action. I paused in the middle.

I had two options. One, let Harry deal with Voldemort and watch from the sidelines, which meant I would go nowhere near to breaking my promise. Or two, face Voldemort myself and complete the first step in honouring George Weasley.

I knew what George would have wanted.

With his final words in mind, I wrestled my way to the inner circle, praying,  _hoping_ that Voldemort wasn't planning this. Because if he was, one quick flick of his wand and an  _avada kedavra_ later, I would join George.

No one needed to lose two Weasleys today.

As soon as I was exposed, I heard my mother cry, 'Fred! What are you doing?!'

'I'm doing this. I'm facing  _him_ ,' I pointed to Voldemort, 'For George.'

'Facing The Dark Lord? You?' Voldemort laughed before Mum could react. ' _Avada_ —'

' _Expelliarmus!'_ Harry's spell caused Voldemort's half cast curse to go awry, the Elder Wand flying into Harry's open hand.

I couldn't focus on my near death now. I turned to Harry. 'Two wands versus nil, do you think you can do this?'

He gawped at me. 'I guess but—'

'For George. For George Weasley.' I said again.

We stared at each other for a split second and I saw something change in his reserve, a light bulb switching on. He nodded. 'For George Weasley.'

I turned to Voldemort again. 'You took my brother. You took our teacher. You took  _parents_ , you took  _siblings_ , you took  _lives._ And I'm not going to let you take anyone again.'

'You are too brave, Mr Weasley.' He sneered at me.

'And you're a monster. You know what I do to monsters?' I sneered back. ' _I_   _destroy them_.'

I raised my wand, stepping forward. ' _Protego_.' I had to make sure to shield the rest of the Order before any damage could come to them. A spell, a spell. I needed a spell to deter Voldemort.

And then it dawned on me. I would do this  _Fred Weasley style_.

I pointed my wand at this noseless venom. ' _Rictusempra_ ,' I stated, a sly grin spreading across my face as I watched the tension in the air melt away.

'He used the Tickling Charm!' a girl called out as the so-called "Dark Lord" doubled over in laughter.

The sound was cacophonous; I'd never heard Voldemort laugh this much.

'Harry,' I called out, unable to take my eyes off this unusual sight, 'do you have any idea how we can defeat this thing? Maybe do it while it's… occupied?!'

Harry nodded once and turned to the mob of people around us.

'Before Albus Dumbledore was killed by Snape,' he began, 'He was the master of the Elder Wand. His murder was planned between the two of them so that the power of this wand died with him—'

I tuned out, willing Harry to stop talking and  _do something_ before the effects of the charm died out.

I saw Harry turn, raising the Elder Wand. '—disarmed Malfoy,' he continued, 'the power of the wand passed down to me.'

I saw Voldemort's face twist into something resembling a snarl, though he couldn't stop laughing.

'So I… get to do this:  _Avada kedavra!_ '

A green light shot from the tip of the Elder Wand and hit Voldemort in the chest.

All I could hear was a dull thud, telling us that The Dark Lord's body had fell to the floor. The light faded into nothing and the evidence of victory glared at us.

We had won. Voldemort was gone.

As cheers erupted from the hearts of Hogwarts, the only thing I could feel was pain.  _Soul crushing pain_  as the events of the past day haunted my memories, tainting the happiness that I should have been feeling.

My knees buckled and I sank to the ground, tears beginning to fall uncontrollably. I shook with the heartbreak. My  _twin._ Was dead _. Dead._  I didn't know how I could live without him. I  _needed_ him. He was my other half. We came as a pair. Fred-and-George. You wouldn't have George without me  _so why was I without George?_

Someone's arms snaked around my shoulders; they, too, were weeping. I couldn't focus on anything else until I heard Ron whisper, 'Is he really gone?'

I managed a small, almost imperceptible nod, trying my hardest to give some kind of consolation to my youngest brother.

Ginny sat on my other side, sobbing into her hands. Mum and Charlie held each other up, crying into each other's shoulders.

I didn't know when the tears had come to an end. I managed to put my arms around Ron as he cried, ignoring the thumping in my head.

'George is dead,' I whispered. Ron shuffled away and I felt someone else take his place.

'But you avenged him. You helped defeat Voldemort. I'm so proud of you, Fred,' Mum murmured into my ear as she held me in her arms. 'You fought for George amazingly. I love you.'

'I watched him die,' I whimpered. 'I watched his final tear fall from his eye. I was the one who closed his eyes for the last time.'

'I am  _so_ proud of you. You were so strong. So,  _so_ strong.'

'Thank—thank you, Mum.' I rested my head on her shoulder.

We sat there, Mum and I in an embrace, on the grounds of Hogwarts until the Weasleys were the only ones out. I couldn't bear the thought of being alone and with Mum holding me it seemed as if there was a warm, loving barrier around me that would help keep me safe.

I heard Dad shout, 'Molly! Molly!' all too soon and she lifted her arms off my shoulders. I could feel the warmth leaving with her as I started to sink back into myself.

George… gone. My twin… dead. The only two phrases swimming around in my head again and again. And then—

_Keep my legacy… alive._

His legacy… Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Keep it going. I had to keep it going. But… alone… it would be so hard… so, so hard…

'Fred? Honey, can you hear me?'

I heard you. I couldn't show you that I heard you.

'Fred, look at me.' They turned my head to face them and I met Mum's brown eyes, glistening with tears. 'Fleur had her baby, darling. She had a baby girl,' she told me gently, smiling softly.

'What?' I mumbled, my brain too frazzled to make sense of anything else.

'You're an uncle, Fred. You're Uncle Fred.'

'I'm… an uncle. An uncle!' My eyes seemed to light up at the idea of a tiny bundle of joy arriving in the middle of a war-torn, death-ridden world, somehow bringing peace to my raging soul. 'Can… can I see her?'

Mum's smile widened. 'Arthur's just gone to speak to Professor McGonagall so we'll Apparate back to The Burrow and wait for him there.' She helped me up and we walked to Charlie, Ginny, and Ron.

We  _cracked_ back into our living room, where Fleur was propped up by pillows on the sofa bed, a tiny bundle in blankets cradled in her arms. Bill sat beside her, his arm around her shoulders, and Percy stood just a little way off.

I looked at him and he smiled as if he'd realised what I'd done. A silent conversation passed between us.

 _I kept your promise, brother_.

_You did. I'm proud._

I smiled back, proud of  _myself_ for being able to keep to my word.

'Hi, Fleur,' I heard Mum say. 'How are you feeling?'

'Overjoyed but knackered, really,' Fleur replied, the smile never leaving her face. She turned her head to me. 'Fred, would you like to hold her?'

I found myself smiling despite the thumping in my chest. 'Of course.'

Fleur passed the baby to me and I marvelled at how small she seemed, how dear she looked, how innocent she was. A tear rolled down my cheek, and I smiled up at Bill.

'She's so beautiful,' I whispered. 'What's her name?'

'She's Victoire,' announced Bill, 'and we'd like you to be her godfather.'

'M-me?' I stammered.

My brother nodded, smiling. 'You. We think you'd be great at it.'

'Oh, I—I'd be honoured, Bill.  _Thank you_ ,' I breathed, beaming down at Victoire. My mind filled with the notion that  _I was the godfather of this precious being_.

I held Victoire close to my chest, watching intently as she yawned.

I would protect her with my life. I wasn't able to protect George but I'd  _murder_ before I let any harm come to Victoire Weasley.

She'd given me a reason to fight again, a reason to hold my head high.

And I'd be damned if I let that go to waste.


End file.
